I have been reading a book called Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini Ph.D. It details various principles by which humans operate that can be used to manipulate them for personal gain. These ideas are the backbone of many sales practices and I thought it would be fun to think up some ways to turn the tables by applying these same principles to salespeople themselves. I will probably add more as I read further in. Please feel free to add your own ideas to this thread too.
Car salesmen, among many other types of salespeople, manipulate the way humans register perceptual contrast. A very simple demonstration of perceptual contrast is to stick one hand in cold water, the other in hot. Now put both hands into luke warm water and each hand will register it in contrast to the temperature of the water in which it was previously submerged. A car salesperson will establish a base sale price before mentioning add-ons to that base cost whose price will feel more reasonable because the victim has already committed to a larger expenditure. This is what I think would be a good reversal of the car salesman's tactic:
Bring a small gift, maybe donuts or a box of lindt chocolates or a popcorn tin. Offer it to your salesperson as a gift when you first meet him. You can tell him it is as thanks for helping you today. Now, there may be some guilt that operates because of that phrasing (which will only reinforce its efficacy) but the larger reason it should work is because of the law of reciprocity which makes people feel obligated to make a return-favor for gifts received. Social pressure makes it very difficult to refuse even an unwanted gift and by offering a small one an individual can receive a much greater gift in return. I think this social principle is likely the operating force behind the "new agey" idea that the more you give, the more you receive. When you give to other people they feel obliged, indebted to you, and are now likely to try to return your favor. Rather than a metaphysical principle it's really a psychological manipulation.
Dr. Cialdini theorizes in the book I'm reading that this principle helped early humans to create interdependent societies with specialized roles in which individuals knew that their contributions would be matched by those who received their gifts.
Car salesmen, among many other types of salespeople, manipulate the way humans register perceptual contrast. A very simple demonstration of perceptual contrast is to stick one hand in cold water, the other in hot. Now put both hands into luke warm water and each hand will register it in contrast to the temperature of the water in which it was previously submerged. A car salesperson will establish a base sale price before mentioning add-ons to that base cost whose price will feel more reasonable because the victim has already committed to a larger expenditure. This is what I think would be a good reversal of the car salesman's tactic:
Bring a small gift, maybe donuts or a box of lindt chocolates or a popcorn tin. Offer it to your salesperson as a gift when you first meet him. You can tell him it is as thanks for helping you today. Now, there may be some guilt that operates because of that phrasing (which will only reinforce its efficacy) but the larger reason it should work is because of the law of reciprocity which makes people feel obligated to make a return-favor for gifts received. Social pressure makes it very difficult to refuse even an unwanted gift and by offering a small one an individual can receive a much greater gift in return. I think this social principle is likely the operating force behind the "new agey" idea that the more you give, the more you receive. When you give to other people they feel obliged, indebted to you, and are now likely to try to return your favor. Rather than a metaphysical principle it's really a psychological manipulation.
Dr. Cialdini theorizes in the book I'm reading that this principle helped early humans to create interdependent societies with specialized roles in which individuals knew that their contributions would be matched by those who received their gifts.
